Copland collections from EMI
are not exactly rare. The company’s shelves are well stocked
with material from which to choose. This disc has been
assembled from digital tapes made in America during the
1980s.

We have an unexpectedly staid
and understated Fanfare. It's a nice contrast with
the neon rhetoric of the composer and of Bernstein. Slatkin
delivers an effective version of the complete ballet Appalachian
Spring with some superbly calculated and controlled
textures, touching eloquence (Meno mosso, tr. 7),
surging heroics and in the Allegro - solo Dance
of the Bride a tight and taut rhythmic snap. The Saint
Louis principals are permitted personal profiles and identity
in their various solos as in the Moderato (tr. 4).
There is much here that is pleasing but the composer's
original with the LSO is to be preferred if this work
is your priority. Both Mata and Batiz hail from South America.
In simplistic terms it is fitting that Mata is heard in El
Salon Mexico. It's a great version and superbly recorded.
Perhaps he scouts over emotional detail as at 2:49 (far
too fast) but this is sappy spectacular stuff. Bruce Hubbard
leads us in fine authentic style through the cheery-poetic-gawky Old
American Songs. His enunciation is excellent and he
acts the songs - pouring in shovel-loads of character.
Who would have thought that the first five of these songs
were premiered in 1951 by Copland's friends Peter Pears
and Benjamin Britten. By the way there's no sign anywhere
here of the atonal Copland of Inscape and the other
works of the 1960s and 1970s.

Review
IndexesBy
Label Select a label and
all reviews are listed in Catalogue orderBy
MasterworkLinks
from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to
the review
indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Reviews
from previous monthsJoin the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the
discs reviewed. detailsWe welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin
Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to
which you refer.